y called
Croupier.

"You shall," replied Asa, "both of them, if you return the
five-and-thirty dollars."

"It was only fifteen dollars," cried the lying Creole.

Upon this Asa called to us, and we stepped out from amongst the
cotton-trees, behind which we had been standing all the while; and when
the Creoles saw us, each with his rifle on his arm, they seemed rather
confused, and drew back a little.

"Here are my comrades," said Asa, "who will all bear witness, that the
horses were sold at the prices of twenty dollars for the one and
fifteen for the other. And if any one says the contrary, he says that
which is not true."

"_Larifari!_" roared Croupier. "You shan't stop here to call us liars,
and spoil our hunting-ground, and build houses on our land. His
excellency the governor shall be told of it, and the commandant at
Natchitoches, and you shall be driven away." And the other Creoles, who,
while Asa was speaking, appeared to be getting more quiet and
reasonable, now became madder than ever, and shrieked, and swore, and
galloped backwards and forwards, brandishing their fowling-pieces like
wild Injuns, and screaming out that we should leave the country, the
game wasn't too plenty for them, and suchlike. At length Asa and the
rest of us got angry, and called out to them to take themselves off or
they would be sorry for it; and when they saw us bringing our rifles to
our shoulders, they put spurs to their horses, and galloped away to a
distance of some five hundred yards. There they halted, and set up such
a screeching as almost deafened us, fired off some of their old rusty
guns, and then rode away. We all laughed at their bragging and
cowardice, except Asa, who looked thoughtful.

"I fear some harm will come of this," said he. "Those fellows will go
talking about us in their own country; and if it gets to the ears of the
governors or commanding-officers that we have settled down on their
territory, they will be sending troops to dislodge us."

Asa's words made us reflect, and we held counsel together as to what was
best to be done. I proposed that we should build a blockhouse on the
Indian mound to defend ourselves in if we were attacked.

"Yes," said Asa; but we are only six, and they may send hundreds against
us.

"Very true," said I; "but if we have a strong blockhouse on the top of
the mound, that is as good as sixty, and we could hold out against a
hundred Spanish musketeers. And it's my notion, that